Container carrier



July 28,1953 r L. o. HOLMBE I RG 2, 6,9 '1

CONTAINER CARRIER Filed Aug. 19, 1949 v 2 Sheefis-Sheet l INVENroR.

lam/5720a 050M659.

July 28,1953 y L. o. HOLMBERG 646,911

CONTAINER CARRIER Filed Aug. 19, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I VENToR. lazy/67206 afiblrlzbafg,

Patented July 28, 53

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER CARRIER Lawrence 0. Holmberg, Winnetka, 111.

Application August 19, 1949, Serial No. 111,143

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved container carrier and more particularly to a carrier for cans or other containers having pro- :iecting rims, edges, joints or flanges such as end seams or the like, or countersunk or recessed ends.

An object of the invention is to provide a carrier which will support a plurality of grouped containers in such a manner that labels or advertising matter on the exterior of the containers may be clearly displayed. i

Another object is to provide a carrier that will support a plurality of grouped containers in such a manner that a single strip .of advertising material may be placed about the group.

A further object is to provide a carrier which occupies a minimum of space and which may be placed in supporting engagement with a plurality of containers and they standard number of containers placed in the usual shipping case, making it possible to install the carriers along with supplemental advertising material at the point of initial packing.

Another object is to provide a carrier which may be quickly attached to or removed, from a plurality of containers and which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

It is a further object to provide a carrier which engages only the top edge portions of said containers.

It is another object to provide a carrier with a retractable handle.

It is a further object to provide a carrier on which containers may be installed by automatic machinery. With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a group of containers with a carrier in operative position and a band shown in broken lines encircling the Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation of a carrier supporting containers;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of a carrler;

' Fig. 15 is a view taken on the line 5;5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end elevation showing the relative position of containers and carrier when they are packed in a two-layer packing case; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken on the same line as Fig. 3 and showing containers in their initial position when being installed on a carrier.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, Fig. 1 shows a carrier with six containers 12 to I! secured to it. The containers illustrated have projecting rims and their ends. l8 are countersunk and have annular rims or flanges that have vertically projecting edges I9 and'laterally projecting portions 29. The body portion 2| of the carrier may be produced from a sheet metal blank or other material and is substantially U- shaped in cross-section. Oppositely disposed slots 22 are formed in the body 2! at spaced intervals. These slots are the same and, therefore, only one will be described.

In forming these slots, a relatively narrow elongated portion of material is removed from the side of the body 2!. The width of the slot is substantially less than the height of the flange or head 29., Round portions are removed from the ends of the slots to form the curved portions 23, as shown in Fig. 4. These curved portions extend upward and outwardly from the bottom edge of slot 22. The diameter of the curved portion is approximately the same as the height of the rim or bead 20. The portion of the body member immediately below the slot 22 and between the rounded end portions is curved to conform to the side wall of the container, as shown in Fig. 5. In forming this portion, the material is moved outwardly beyond the plane of the side of the. body 2! and then curved inwardly, as shown at 24 in Fig. 5. The material at the ends of the curved portion projects beyond the plane of the body member, as shown at 25.

,The material above slot 22 is bent outwardly along a line 26 in the plane of the tops of curved portions 23 to form an overhanging lip 21, the outer-margin of which is bent downwardly at 28. This lip iscurved to conform to the contour of the inner surface of rimZll. As shown in Fig. 4, the planes of the upper and lower margins of the slot are spaced less than that of the height-of rim 2i) and are also less than the thickness of the rim. The rim of the container, therefore, cannot be inserted in the slot when both the container and body of the carrier are in vertical positions, nor can it be inserted when the container is at right angles to the carrier. It is necessary that the rim be inserted when the container is at an intermediate angle, and after the rim has been inserted the container is placed in a vertical position. In this position, pressure downward or sideways will not dislodge the rim from the slot.

As shown in Fig. 7, in securing a container to the carrier, the edge I9 of the top flange of the container must be disposed at an angle to body member 2i and slot 22 in order for it to be able to pass through the slot. The to of flange I9 is moved upwardly and inwardly until it engages the top of rounded portions 23, at which point the under margin of rim 28 has passed over the lower curved margin of the slot. The container may then be moved to a Vertical position and the upper lip 21. will engage the inside of flange holding it inwardly so that the lower outer margin which is supported by the lower curved margin of the slot will not become dislodged.

Fig. '7 shows containers l2 and I3 tilted inwardly with their top rims 20 inserted in oppositely disposed slots at the same time. Automatic machinery may be used for installing the containers on the carrier and any number of containers may be tilted and their top rim inserted in slots at the same time. The containers may then be moved to the upright position shown in Fig. 3 which looks the rims in the slots. The contour of the carrier adjacent the slots may be. such that when the containers are moved to an upright position the material of the carrier is displaced at these points, causing the containers to be more securely held by the carrier; that is, portions 2'! may be moved outwardly by the inside of rims 20 and the portions 24 moved inwardly by the sides of the containers below the rims. The containers may be tilted, seated and locked on the carriers on a conveyor line and, if desired, the carrier may be in a continuous strip which is cut with the desired number of containers in each unit.

Various handles may be used and, in the one illustrated, the top of the body member 2| is provided with a pair of elongated openings 30 into which the ends of a handle or bale 32 are inserted. The handle may be made of drawn wire and shaped before it is installed. The ends 34' are bent horizontally and extend under the top of the body portion 2 l. ings 32 enable the handle to be sprung inwardly sufliciently for the ends 34 to be inserted and, when the handle returns to its normal shape, the side portions abut the ends of the openings. As shown in Fig. 6, the handle may be retracted by merely pushing it inwardly. This is particularly desirable where the containers are packed in cases. with the carriers installed on the containers. Where the containers are packed in more than one. layer, a piece of corrugated board 3.6 may be placed between the layers and provided with an elongated slot into which that portion of the carrier which projects above the container may be inserted. Where groups of containers secured to carriers are stacked without the corrugated board between the layers, the portion of body member 2| projecting above the containers extends between the bottoms of the containers stacked on top of them and tends to stabilize the entire stack by preventing the containers above from slipping sideways off of the ones below.

The slots 22 in body member 2| are oppositely disposed so that an even number of containers will balance the carrier. As shown in Fig 2,

The elongated open- I when the containers are lifted by the carrier the bottom margins of oppositely disposed containers engage each other. When the bottoms of the containers are supported, the containers assume a normal upright position, as shown in Fig. 6.

Several containers may be handled as a single unit on this carrier and a single strip of advertising material, shown at 29 in broken lines in Fig. 1, may be placed around the entire group calling attention to a special price for the group, or six different varieties of a product may be ofiered as a special attraction. Thi material may be applied after the containers are positioned in the carrier at the initial packing point. While such a strip of material is in no way essential to the successful operation of the carrier, it may serve to hold the containers more closely together under unusually rough handling.

The containers will not become dislodged from the carrier when it is swung by the handle sidewise or endwise, nor will normal jostling or shaking cause them to become disengaged from the carrier.

While the carrier has been described and shown as having a U-shaped body portion, it is apparent that a single strip of material could be used with the container engaging slots in staggered relation and a handle suitably secured to the body.

The invention is not to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown, which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation, as various other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim: 7

1. A carrier for containers having projecting top rims comprising a body having a U-shaped cross-section and having oppositely disposed slots in the sides thereof, the portions below said slots being curved to conform to the contour of the side walls of the containers and portions of said body along the bottom edges of said slots providing supports for said rims, the portions above said slots being curved to conform to the inner surfaces of said rims and positioned to engage said inner surfaces when said rims are supported along said lower edges.

2. A carrier for containers having projecting top rims comprising a body having a U-shaped cross-section and having oppositely disposed horizontal slots in the sides thereof, the portions of said sides below said slots being curved to conform to the contour of the side walls of the containers, the, portions of said sides above said slots overhanging said first named portions and being curved to conform to the contour of the inner surfaces of said rims.

3. A carrier for containers having projecting top. rims comprising a body having a U-shaped cross-section, oppositely disposed horizontal slots in the sides of said body, portions of said sides below said slots being positioned to engage the sides of said containers and having a surface conforming to the contour thereof, portions of said sides above said slots overhanging said first named portions for engaging the inner surfaces of said rims, spaced slots in the upper margin of said body and a retractable handle having its side portions slidably mounted in said slots.

4. A carrier for containers having projecting top rims comprising a body having slots in the sides thereof for receiving said rims, body "portiop along the bottom edges of said slots. bei

, positioned to supportingly engage the under surfaces of said rims, body portions along the top edges of said slots being positioned to engage the inner surfaces of said rim and maintain the under surfaces of said rims in engagement with the body portions along the lower edges of said slots and a handle for lifting said body portion with said containers secured thereto.

5. A carrier for containers having projecting top rims comprising a body having a U-shaped cross-section and having oppositely disposed slots in the sides thereof, said body having round outout portions at the ends of said slots, the diameter of said round portions being greater than the width of said slots, body portions along the bottom edges of said slots shaped to conform to the contour of the surfaces of the side walls of said containers, body portions above said slots and between said rounded portions overhanging said second named portions shaped to conform to the contour of the inside surfaces of said rims and the edges of said slots being spaced to permit the insertion of said rims when the latter are disposed at an acute angle to the sides of said body.

6. A carrier for containers having projecting top rims comprising a body having a U-shaped cross-section and having oppositely disposed slots in its sides for receiving portions of the rims of said containers, said body having openings in the upper margin thereof for receiving the ends of a handle member and means between the sides of said body for maintaining said ends in said openings.

'7. A carrier for containers having projecting top rims comprising a body having a U-shaped cross-section and having oppositely disposed slots in its sides for receiving portions of the rims of said containers, the portions of said body along the lower edges of said slots being positioned to support the under surfaces of said rims and portions along the upper edges positioned to engage the inner surfaces of said rims whereby the lower margins of opposite containers abut each other when said carrier is supporting the containers.

8. A carrier for containers having projecting top rims comprising a body having a U-shaped cross-section and having a plurality of spaced slots in each side thereof, the distance between the centers of the slots corresponding to the diameter of the containers and the slots in each side being aligned with each other whereby the lower margins of opposite containers abut each other when said containers are supported by their top rims in said slots.

9. A carrier for containers having projecting top rims comprising a body having a U-shaped cross-section and having spaced slots in each side thereof, the slots in each side being aligned with each other, whereby when said containers are supported by the under surfaces of their top rims the lower margins of opposite containers will abut each other and said containers will be supported in a substantially upright position by said carrier.

10. A carrier for containers having projecting top rims comprising a body having a U-shaped cross-section, rim engaging means on each side of said body in alignment with each other whereby the lower margins of opposite containers abut each other when said containers are supported on said body by their top rims.

11. A carrier for sealed cans or like containers having a laterally projecting top rim thereon, said carrier comprising a body member having handle means associated therewith, a pair of oppositely 6 disposed can-holding devices carried by said body member, each of which is adapted to engage one can, respectively of a pair of cans, at that portion of the top rim thereof which is disposed in close proximity to the other can, each can-holding device having outside can-engaging means engaging the underneath edge of the laterally projecting top rim of its associated can, and inside can engaging means engaging the inside surface of said top rim at such location thereon as to oppose the engagement of said outside canengaging means, said inside and outside canengaging means being constructed to provide therebetween space for said rim sufiicient to permit a can held thereby to swing downwardly by gravity to an extent to cause the cans of a pair of cans held thereby to swing toward each other until each contacts the other adjacent the bottom edge thereof and so that each can of said pair of cans counterbalances the other and arrests further gravitational movement thereof, said inner and outer can engaging means being sufficiently close together at the point of their closest approach to prevent the rim of the associated can from disengaging itself from said outer can engaging means when the cans are swung downwardly in mutually supporting position.

12. A carrier for sealed cans or like containers having a laterally projecting top rim thereon, said carrier comprising a body member having handle means associated therewith, a pair of oppositely disposed can-holding devices carried by said body member, each of which is adapted to engage one can, respectively of a pair of cans, at that portion of the top rim thereof which is disposed in close proximity to the other can, each can-holding device having outside can-engaging means engaging the underneath edge of the laterally projecting top rim of its associated can, and inside can engaging means engaging the inside surface of said top rim at such location thereon as to oppose the engagement of said outside can engaging means, said inside and outside can engaging means being constructed to provide therebetween space for said rim sufiicient to permit a can held thereby to swing downwardly by gravity to an extent to cause the cans of a pair of cans held thereby to swing toward each other until each contacts the other adjacent the bottom edge thereof and so that each can of said pair of cans counterbalances the other and arrests further gravitational movement thereof, said inner and outer can engaging means being sufiiciently close together at the point of their closest approach to prevent the rim of the associated can from disengaging itself from said outer can engaging means when the cans are swung downwardly in mutually supporting position, and sufliciently spaced to permit the outward passage of the rim of the associated can therebetween when the can is tipped upwardly in opposition to the action of gravity.

13. A carrier for sealed cans or like containers having a laterally projecting top rim thereon, said carrier comprising a body member including means adapted for manual grasping for carrying the body and a pair of independent can-holding devices each of which is adapted to engage the top rim of one can, respectively, of a pair of cans, each can-holding device having outside canengaging means engaging the underneath edge of the laterally projecting top rim of its associated can, and inside can-engaging means engaging the inside surface of said top rim at such location thereon as to oppose the engagement of said out- 7 side can-engaging means, said inside and outside can-engaging means being constructed to provide therebetween space for said rim suflicient to permit a can held thereby to swing downwardly by gravity to an extent to cause the cans of a pair of oans held thereby to swing toward each other until each contacts the other adjacent the bottom edge thereof and so that each can of said pair of cans counterbalances the other and arrests further gravitational movement thereof, said inner and outer can-engaging means being suih-cient-ly close together at the point of their closest approach to prevent the rim of the associated can from disengaging itself from said outer canengaging means when the cans are swung down- 10 Number 8* wardly in mutually supporting position, and sufficiently spaced to. permit the outward passage of the rim of the associated can therebetween when the can is tipped upwardly in opposition to the 5 action of gravity.

LAWRENCE O. HOLMBERG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,973,568 Keith Sept. 11, 1934 2,117,405 Curtis May 17, 1938 2,228,859 Vannucci Jan. 14, 1941 2,405,753 Morgan Aug. 13, 1946 McWethy Aug. 15, 1950 

